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Black Jewels series
Black Jewels series by Anne Bishop Genres and Sub-Genres Dark Fantasy Series Description or Overview The Dark Kingdom is preparing itself for the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy--the arrival of a new Queen, a Witch who will wield more power than even the High Lord of Hell himself. But this new ruler is young, and very susceptible to influence and corruption; whoever controls her controls the Darkness. And now, three sworn enemies begin a ruthless game of politics and intrigue, magic and betrayal, and the destiny of an entire world is at stake. ~ Goodreads | The Black Jewels, #1 Books in Series Black Jewels series: # Daughter of the Blood (1998) # Heir to the Shadows (1999) # Queen of the Darkness (2000) # The Invisible Ring (2000) # Dreams Made Flesh (2005) # Tangled Webs (2008) # The Shadow Queen (2009) # Shalador's Lady (2010) # Twilight's Dawn (2011) # The Queen's Bargain (2020) Shorts, Novellas, Anthologies and Guides * Weaver of Dreams (2005) SF * Kaeleer's Heart (2005) * Zuulaman (2005) SF * The Prince of Ebon Rih (2005) * Winsol Gifts (2012) SF * Shades of Honor (2012) SF * Family (2012) SF * The High Lord's Daughter (2012) SF Themes * Webs: These are the psychic pathways the Blood use to travel through out a given Realm that they're in. All Webs originate at the Keep in Ebon Askavi. Ebon Askavi exits in all three Realms, as does SaDiablo Hall. Although at the time of the story, the Hall in Terreille is in ruins. * Blood: The heart and center of the land. They are the caretakers of the Realms and some, not all bear Jewels. The women rule and the men serve. There is a check and balance to their power system controlled by Protocol and Honor. To be Blood is to Serve whether it be to a Queen of a Territory or Queen of a Province. * Chalice: The mind of the Blood. When the Chalice that is the mind shatters, a Jeweled Blood will slip into the Twisted Kingdom, trying to desperately to fix the shattered remains. * Witchblood: A plant that grows marking where a witch met with a violent death. If sung to properly, the flowers will give up the name of the witch they are a reminder for. They are black floweres, that bloom from the first thaw of spring until the last warm breath of autumn. World Building Setting “The Three Realms” known individually as Terreille, Hell and Kaeleer. 'Other Places/Settings' * Briarwood: A hospital of sorts where troubled children are sent to help them tell the difference between fantasy and reality. Mostly occupied by females. *'SaDiablo Hall': This Hall exists in all three Realms; Saetan SaDiablo had them built. * Kaeleer: The Shadow Realm; one of three Realms the Blood live in. * Beldon Mor: Capital city of Chaillot. *'Dark Altar': One of the ways for the Blood to travel between Realms. * Pruul: A desert kingdom famous for their salt mines. Ruled by Queen Zuultah * Hell: The Dark Realm; one of three Realms the Blood live in. Mostly occupied by the demon-dead and the cildru-dyathe, demon-dead children, who were murdered early in the lives in a violent fashion. Seatan is the Ruler here. * Twisted Kingdom: The Twisted Kingdom exists in the mind of the one who is "shattered". The land of insanity where the Blood remember who and what they used to be before their mind was shattered and they slipped into the Twisted Kingdom. — The inner landscape of the mind that the Blood call the Twisted Kingdom. Where a person goes when their mind is shattered. * Terrielle: The Light Realm; one of three Realms the Blood live in. * Ebon Askavi: The Black Tower. It exists in all three Realms. It is the home of the library for the Blood and is also the hereditary home of Witch. * Little Terreille: People immigrated to Kaeleer and named the Territory Little Terreille. It still has many links to its original counterpart in the Realm of Light Terreille. * Halaway: Capital of Dhemlan. * Pruul: Desert Kingdom. * Falonar: * Briarwood: * Little Terreille: * Cassandra's Altar: * Halaway: Capital of Dhemlan. Supernatural Elements Shadow Realm, witches, warlocks, High Lord of Hell, ancient prophecy, magic, , , , , , , , , , Glossary * Landen males/females: non-Blood of any race * Blood Male: a general term for all males of the Blood; also refers to any Blood male who doesn't wear any jewels * Blood: Any creature that wields magical power. If the creature is animal, they usually have a high intelligence (for an animal) and can communicate mind to mind when they want to, even outside their group. * Warlord: a Jeweled male equal in status to a witch * Prince: a Jeweled male equal in status to a Priestess or a Healer * Warlord Prince: a dangerous, extremely aggressive Jeweled male; in status, slightly lower than a Queen * Witch: a Blood female who wears Jewels but isn't one of the other hierarchial levels; also refers to any Jeweled female * Black Widow: a witch who who heals the mind; weaves the tangled webs of dreams and visionsl is trained in illusions and poisons * Queen: a witch who rules the Blood; is considered to be the land's heart and the Blood's moral center; as such she is the focal point of their society * Healer:: * Priestess: a witch who cares for altars, Sanctuaries, and Dark Altars; witnesses handfasts and marriages; performs offerings; equal in status to a Healer and a Prince * Jewel: A ranking system dependent on two ceremonies. One around 7 years old and another around 18. Determines standing between Blood depends heavily on how "Dark" or powerful they are, judged by the jewel given at the ceremonies. Other details to consider are gender and caste. * Caste: Some blood have a specialization. Females can be Healers, Black Widows, Priestesses and Queens. Males are either Warlords or Warlord Princes. There is not a minimum power requirement, even youths before 7 might feel like a caste before they have their first ceremony, although they do not get the social benefits until the ceremony and training. World Sexified fantasy world called “The Three Realms” which are known individually as Terreille, Hell and Kaeleer. The Realms are not a place full of warm and fuzzies. All power in The Realms is concentrated in those “of the Blood” that you can basically think of as witches and warlocks. Each person born to the Blood is born to a particular color of “jewel” which determines their relative strength as well as their societal status. The darker the jewel, the greater the strength. The power structure is matriarchal, with Blood males serving/servicing Blood females...and this leads right into the sex. Sex is an essential aspect of how the Blood try to gain and maintain political power and so is a critical part of the plot. If you are squeamish about sexual content, you may want to fantasy elsewhere. Though very little of the “doing the nasty” is explicit (this is NOT erotica), sex and sexual politics pervades every aspect of the Three Realms, and it is not the pleasure pumping kind of sex. It is dark, gritty and should only be practiced with a safety word. It’s absolutely essential to the plot and the strong sense of the sensual without the need for explicit sex scenes was very well done. Over time, the Blood has become corrupted and a scheming harpy of a witch-bitch named Dorothea now holds the position of Queen. Dorothea has systematically killed or destroyed all those who could challenge her power and has fostered an atmosphere of plotting and mistrust among the rest of the court which keeping all of the stronger Blood males in line by....well, you’ll have to read for yourself. But Dorothea and her brood are running scared because young Jaenelle has been born and has the power to become the most powerful member of the Blood. Of course, she needs to survive long enough to come into her power. ~ Goodreads reader | Stephen's review of Daughter of the Blood Protagonist Book Cover Blurbs ✤ BOOK ONE BLURB—Daughter of the Blood (1998): The Dark Kingdom is preparing itself for the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy--the arrival of a new Queen, a Witch who will wield more power than even the High Lord of Hell himself. But this new ruler is young, and very susceptible to influence and corruption; whoever controls her controls the Darkness. And now, three sworn enemies begin a ruthless game of politics and intrigue, magic and betrayal, and the destiny of an entire world is at stake. ~ Daughter of the Blood (Black Jewels, book 1) by Anne Bishop ✤ BOOK TWO BLURB—Heir to the Shadows (1999): The Blood have waited centuries for the coming of Witch, the living embodiment of magic. But Jaenelle, the young girl prophecy spoke of, is haunted by the cruel battles fought over her future power. For not all the Blood await her as a savior. Some dismiss her as myth. Some refuse to believe. And some would use her, making her a puppet to their whims. Only time, and the love of her guardians, have healed Jaenelle’s physical wounds. But her mind is still fragile, amnesia providing a shield from the terrors of her childhood. Nothing, however, can shield her from her destiny. And soon the day of reckoning will come. When her memories return. When her magic matures. When she is forced to accept her fate. On that day, the dark Realms will know what it means to be ruled by Witch. ~ Anne Bishop: Heir to the Shadows ❈ Enough time has passed for the young girl Jaenelle, heir to the magical Darkness, for her physical wounds to heal, while amnesia keeps her frightening memories at bay. But with Saetan—a Black-Jewelled Warlord Prince and Jaenelle's foster-father—to protect her, she will continue to grow. Her magic will mature. Her memories will return. And Jaenelle will face her destiny when she remembers Daemon, Saetan's son, who made the ultimate sacrifice for her love. ~ Goodreads | Heir to the Shadows (The Black Jewels, #2) by Anne Bishop ✤ BOOK THREE BLURB—Queen of the Darkness (2000): Jaenelle Angelline has made her Offering to the Darkness, and reigns as Queen of Ebon Askavi. The Shadow Realm lies under her protection. No longer will the corrupt Blood slaughter her people and defile her lands. But where one door has been closed, another may be opened…or broken through, and Jaenelle must unleash the terrible glory that is Witch to destroy her enemies once and for all. Even so, she cannot stand alone. Somewhere, long lost in the madness of the Twisted Kingdom, is Daemon, her promised Consort. His unyielding love for Jaenelle will complete her Court and secure her power. Yet, even together, their strength may not be enough to stave off their enemies. In the end, only Jaenelle’s greatest sacrifice will be enough to save those she loves… ~ Anne Bishop: Queen of the Darkness ❈ Jaenelle Angelline now reigns as Queen-protector of the Shadow Realm. No longer will the corrupt Blood slaughter her people and defile her lands. But where one chapter ends, a final, unseen battle remains to be written, and Jaenelle must unleash the terrible power that is Witch to destroy her enemies once and for all. Even so, she cannot stand alone. Somewhere, long lost in madness, is Daemon, her promised Consort. Only his unyielding love can complete her Court and secure her reign. Yet, even together, their strength may not be enough to hold back the most malevolent of forces. ~ Goodreads | Queen of the Darkness (The Black Jewels, #3) by Anne Bishop ✤ BOOK FOUR BLURB—The Invisible Ring (2000): Jared is a Red-Jeweled Warlord bound as a pleasure slave by the Ring of Obedience. After suffering nine years of torment as a slave, he murdered his owner and escaped—only to be caught and sold in slavery once again. Purchased by a notorious queen, Jared fears he will share the mysterious fate of her other slaves—never to be seen again—and so prepares himself for death. But the Gray Lady may not be what she seems, and Jared soon faces a difficult decision: his freedom…or his honor. ~ Anne Bishop: The Invisible Ring Jared is a Red Jewel Warlord auctioned as a pleasure slave by a notorious queen. He fears he will share the fate of her other slaves, but the Gray Lady may not be what she seems…. ~ Goodreads | The Invisible Ring (The Black Jewels, #4) by Anne Bishop ✤ BOOK FIVE BLURB—Dreams Made Flesh (2005): Return to the realm of the Blood in Dreams Made Flesh—featuring four revelatory all-new adventures of Jaenelle and her kindred…. Jaenelle is the most powerful Witch ever known, centuries of hopes and dreams made flesh at last. She has forged ties with three of the realm’s mightiest Blood warriors: Saetan, the High Lord of Hell, who trains Jaenelle in magic and adopts her as his daughter; Lucivar, the winged Eyrien warlord who becomes her protector; and the near-immortal Daemon born to be Witch’s lover. Jaenelle has assumed her rightful place as Queen of the Darkness and restored order and peace to the realms…but at a terrible cost. In Dreams Made Flesh, discover the origin of the mystical Jewels, and experience the forbidden passion between Lucivar and a simple hearth witch. Witness the clash between Saetan and a Priestess that may forever change reality. And learn whether the sacrifice of Jaenelle’s magic has destroyed any hope of happiness between her and Daemon. ~ Anne Bishop: Dreams Made Flesh ❈ The national bestselling Black Jewels trilogy established award-winning Anne Bishop as an author whose "sublime skill...blends the darkly macabre with spine-tingling emotional intensity, mesmerizing magic, lush sensuality, and exciting action."* Now the saga continues—with four all-new adventures of Jaenelle and her kindred. ~ Goodreads | Dreams Made Flesh (The Black Jewels, #5) by Anne Bishop ✤ BOOK SIX BLURB—Tangled Webs (2008): Anne Bishop's national bestselling and critically acclaimed Black Jewels series has enthralled readers with its lavish blend of "the darkly macabre with spine-tingling emotional intensity, mesmerizing magic, lush sensuality, and exciting action." Now readers can return to the violently passionate world rules by the Blood, a race of witches and warlocks whose power is channeled through magical jewels. The invitation is signed Jaenelle Angelline, she who had been both Witch and Queen. It summons her family to an entertainment she had specially prepared. Surreal SaDiablo, former courtesan and assassin, arrives first. But as she and her escort enter the house, the door disappears. Surreal finds herself trapped in a nightmare created by the tangled webs of Black Widow witches—a nightmare where the monsters are too real. And if she uses Craft to defend herself, she risks being sealed in the house forever. — But Jaenelle did not send the invitation. And now Jaenelle and her family must rescue Surreal and the others inside without becoming trapped themselves, and they must also discover who created such an evil place and why. Because there is one thing they all know about this house: No matter who planned it as a way to kill members of the SaDiablo family, only one of the Blood could have created the trap… — Includes the Black Jewels short story "By the time the witchblood blooms". ~ Anne Bishop: Tangled Webs and ~ Goodreads | Tangled Webs (The Black Jewels, #6) by Anne Bishop ✤ BOOK SEVEN BLURB—The Shadow Queen (2009): In a tumultuous world ruled by witches and warlocks who wear their power as jewels, one Queen’s chance at redemption is the last hope for a desperate people… Dena Nehele is a land decimated by its past. Once it was ruled by corrupt Queens who were wiped out when the land was cleansed of tainted Blood. Now, only one hundred Warlord Princes stand—without a leader and without hope… Theran Grayhaven is the last of his line, desperate to find the key that reveals a treasure great enough to restore Dena Nehele. But first he needs to find a Queen who knows Protocol, remembers the Blood’s code of honor, and lives by the Old Ways. Languishing in the Shadow Realm, Lady Cassidy is a Queen without a court, a castoff. She is not beautiful. She thinks she is not strong. But when she is chosen to rule Dena Nehele, she must convince bitter men to serve once again. Theran’s cousin Gray is a Warlord Prince who was damaged in mind and body by the vicious Queens who once ruled Dena Nehele. Yet something about Cassidy makes him want to serve—and makes him believe he can be made whole once again. And only Cassidy can prove to Gray—and to herself—that wounds can heal and even the whisper of a promise can be fulfilled… ~ Anne Bishop: The Shadow Queen ❈ Dena Nehele is a land decimated by its past. Once it was ruled by corrupt Queens who were wiped out when the land was cleansed of tainted Blood. Now, only one hundred Warlord Princes stand?without a leader and without hope. Theran Grayhaven is the last of his line, desperate to find the key that reveals a treasure great enough to restore Dena Nehele. But first he needs to find a Queen who remembers the Blood's code of honor and lives by the Old Ways. The woman chosen to rule Dena Nehele, Lady Cassidy, is not beautiful and believes she is not strong. But she may be the only one able to convince bitter men to serve once again. ~ Goodreads | The Shadow Queen (The Black Jewels, #7) by Anne Bishop ✤ BOOK EIGHT BLURB—Shalador's Lady (2010): In Anne Bishop’s “vividly painted”** realm, witches and warlocks channel their power through magical jewels—and one Queen has emerged from the shadows to bring hope to an impoverished people… For years the Shalador people suffered the cruelties of the corrupt Queens who ruled them, forbidding their traditions, punishing those who dared show defiance, and forcing many more into hiding. And even though the refugees found sanctuary in Dena Nehele, they have never been able to call it home. Now that Dena Nehele has been cleansed of tainted Blood, the Rose-Jeweled Queen, Lady Cassidy, makes it her duty to restore the land and prove her ability to rule. She knows that undertaking this task will require all her heart and courage as she summons the untested power within her, a power capable of consuming her if she cannot control it. And even if Lady Cassidy survives her trial by fire, other dangers await. For the Black Widows see visions within their tangled webs that something is coming that will change the land—and Lady Cassidy—forever… ~ Anne Bishop: Shalador's Lady ❈ For years the Shalador people suffered the cruelties of the corrupt Queens who ruled them, forbidding their traditions, punishing those who dared show defiance, and forcing many more into hiding. Now that their land has been cleansed of tainted Blood, the Rose-Jeweled Queen, Lady Cassidy, makes it her duty to restore it and prove her ability to rule. But even if Lady Cassidy succeeds, other dangers await. For the Black Widows see visions within their tangled webs that something is coming that will change the land-and Lady Cassidy-forever. ~ Goodreads | Shalador's Lady (The Black Jewels, #8) by Anne Bishop ✤ BOOK NINE BLURB—Twilight's Dawn (2011): New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop’s “darkly fascinating”* Black Jewel novels have enthralled readers and critics alike with their mixture of fantasy, intrigue, and romance. Now in Twilight’s Dawn, Bishop returns to the Blood realm with four all-new captivating novellas. Winsol Gifts Daemon, the Black Jeweled Warlord Prince of Dhemlan, is settling into his first year of married life with his Witch Queen Jaenelle. But as the thirteen-day celebration of Winsol draws near, Daemon finds himself being pulled in too many directions as he plays host to his formidable family… Shades of Honor Still recovering from the ordeal that left her wounded and angry, Surreal returns to Ebon Rih on the orders of Prince Lucivar. And when her former lover Falonar ruthlessly challenges the rule of her family, Surreal may finally succumb to the darkness burning inside her… Family When someone lays a vicious trap for Queen Sylvia and her sons, the fallout completely disrupts the lives of the ruling family of Dhemlan. Now, they have to uncover the identity of the warlord known only as No Face, before he returns to finish what he started… The High Lord’s Daughter After losing the two most important people in his life, Daemon has assumed his father Saetan’s role as High Lord of Hell and built a wall around his heart. But when he inadvertently forges a new connection, will it be enough to break him free from his loveless life? ~ Anne Bishop: Twilight's Dawn Category:Series